Vapor-bath apparatus.



No. 632,802. Patented Sept; l2, I899 E. A. BUTTS.

VAPOR BATH APPARATUS.

(Application filed Feb. 3, 1897 Renewed Mar. 3, 1839.) {N0 Model.)3'$heets8hesi ammo Mm; QX-Mwwoao No. 632,802. Patented Sept. l2, I899.

E. A. BUTTS.

VAPOR BATH APPARATUS.

(Application filed Feb. 3, 1897. Renewed Mar, 3, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

i ll 1 No. 632,802. I Patented Sept. I2, 1899. E. A. BUTTS.

VAPOR BATH APPARATUS.

(Applicaticn filed Feb. 3, 1897. Renewed Mar. 3, 1899.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ma worms PETEiS o0. walnut wnumavaw, a r:v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD'A. BUTTS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

VAPOR-BATH APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,802, datedSeptember 12, 1899.

Application filed February 3, 1897. Renewed March 3, 1899. Serial No.707,666. (No model.)

T0 to whom it 71m concern: I

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. BUTTS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Vapor-Bath Apparatus; and I do declare thefollowing to be a fnll,clear,and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for administering either plain ormedicated vapor baths for local or general application.

The objects of my invention are to provide an apparatus which shall besimple in construction, efficientin use, which can be manufactured at acomparatively small cost, and which maybe used fora great varietyofconditions and ailments, and which is easily prepared for use.

It is a well-known fact to the medical profession that medicated vaporis a superior vehicle for the administration of medicaments owing to itsabsorptive action, and this treatment is of great value in suchdisorders as catarrh, croup, asthma, and sore throat. After a longseries of experiments in this line I have discovered that vaportreatment is valuable in many diseases not heretofore treated by suchprocess, and I have designed certain attachments to my apparatus for thetreatment of these disorders. I have also discovered that the volume ofvapor must be broken and distributed to have contact with the skin onlyafter its temperature has been sufficiently modified so as not to scald,and this regulation of temperature m net be within the control of thebather. To attain the ends referred to, I have produced the apparatusshown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspectiveview of the apparatus ready for use as a face-steamer. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical section through the apparatus. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the conductor. Fig. 4c is a side view of theapparatus in condition for use in the administration of medicated vaporfor local disorders. Fig. 5 is apcrspective view of a mouthpiece orinhaler. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an attachment to be used forpurposes hereinafter to be referred to.

Like letters and figures of reference indicate like parts wherever theyoccur in the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 indicates an ordinary gas stove,heater, or burner, and I may use either gas, oil, spirits, or other fuelto produce the vapor. Placed upon this burner is the generator 2, whichmay be of any desired size, shape, or material. This generator, asshown, is a plain vessel for containing water. The cover 3 has formedintegrally therewith or intimately connected theretoa conductor at,which extends horizontally outward from the generator andis providedwith a depending pipe 5. Connected to this pipe is a telescope extension6, which may be adjusted to suit the height of the burner. The extension6 at its lower end is inserted within a pipe 7, rising from thereservoir or distributer 8, which may be of any desired contour, and atits'exit end 9 it is provided with awi re tray 10, the purpose of whichis to break up the volume of vapor and to support a sponge, pad, orother absorptive material for containing medicine. A U-shaped wiresupport 11 is detachably connected at its ends to the reservoir, and thepurpose of this device is to support a hood or piece of fabric to beused to envelop either the head or the entire body of the bather. Thishood or cover 2 is supported at one end by the wire 11, and the otherend is thrown over the head or body of the bather. In order that thedesired temperatu re of the vapor may be obtained by the subject undertreatment, the edges of the cover may be grasped and either raised toadmit sufiicient air to mingle with the vapor to suit the requirementsof the case or drawn more tightly about the person.

It will be understood, of course, that the vapor passes from thegenerator 2 through the aperture 00 into the conductor at, thencedownward through the connection 5 6 7 into the reservoir 8, and outthrough the meshes of the tray 10. It will also be seen that by removingthe medicated sponge or absorbent material 12 from the tray aplain-vapor bath may be readily prepared. The desired medicine for thedisorder under treatment may be applied to the sponge. A small cover 13may be removed from the generator, either for the purpose of refillingthe same while in use or for adjusting the temperature of the vapor.

As thus far described my device may be used as a face-steamer or foradministering baths to any portion of the body. When used as anapparatus for the treatment of various diseases, the appliances orattachments shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are connected, as will now bedescribed.

For local application of medicated vapor a flexible conveyer or pipe 14is attached to the exit end of the pipe 7 and at its outer end isprovided with a mouthpiece or nozzle 15, which contains a wire tray 16,upon which is placed a medicated sponge or absorbent pad. As thusarranged my apparatus may be used as an inhaler for throat troubles orfor administering vapor to the ears, eyes, or for various localtreatments. The reservoir may be used in connection with the flexibletube by placing a cover over the reservoir having an opening in the topof said cover of sumcient size to receive the end of the flexible tubewhen it is desired to use the reservoir instead of placing the flexibletube directly on the depending pipe.

of a large range of usefulness not contem- 4o plated by apparatusheretofore in use for administering medicaments.

In place of a sponge I sometimes use an asbestos pad for the applicationof certain medicines, and this pad may be readily cleaned by burning thesame, as the pad is non-destructible by fire.

It will be observed that the tray 10 is located immediately at the openmouth of the reservoir and is approximately of the same dimensionsas'said mouth, whereby it is freely accessible at all times, and thedisadvanta geous necessity for removing any part of the device in orderto apply medicament to the pad or to remove or insert said pad isobviated. 55

What I desire to obtain by Letters Patent and claim is- In avapor-bathapparatus, the combination of a generator, a cover therefor having anexit-opening at its top, a horizontal conduc- 6o tor 4 leading from saidopening and having a depending pipe at its free end, a flexibledischarge-conduit and connections between it and the free end of thesaid depending pipe, and interchangeable mouths without EDWARD A. BUTTS.

\Vitnesses:

S. A. TERRY, GEo.'E. TERRY.

